Tube splicing apparatus



Feb. 10, 1942. H. D. STEVENS TUBE SPLIGING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13, 1958 INVEN TO R b'bmcefi. Jim/e 26 ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1942. D, STEVEN 2,272,881

TUBE SPLICING APPARATUS Filed Ma 15, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvamoh ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1942. STEVENS 2,272,881

TUBE SPLICING APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1938 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 lzpa 17.4 Q ,7 2 r) w MracefiJ/eQZrZ .EY v

' ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1942. H. STEVENS ,2 ,8

TUBE 'SPLIGIING'AEPARATUS FiledMay 13, 1958 7 Sheets-Sheef 4 mvENrbR 170162062 J/ewras ATTORNEY Feb. 10,1942. H. D. STEVENS' 2,272,881

' TUBE SPLICING APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Hyde . INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1942. i H, STEVENS 2,272,881

TUBE SPLICING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 13, 1938 INVENTOR ATTO RN EY llfl///////////////////////M//// H. D. STEVENS TUBE SPLICING APPARATUS Feb. 10, 1942.

Filed May 13, 1958 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR k v )Yaraeafldtavamy ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 10, 1942 F i Q'. :1.

TUBE SPLICENG APPARATUS Application May 13, 1933, Serial No. 207,774

(Cl. 15 l9) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to tube splicing apparatus, and more especially it relates to improved mechanism for removing surplus stock from opposite ends of a length of unvulcanized rubber tubing, and then moving the trimmed ends of the tube forcibly into abutting relation to effect a butt splice, whereby the tubing is caused to become endless in form.

The chief objects of the invention are to provide an improved apparatus for severing the surplus stock from the ends of a length of tubing; to provide improved apparatus for moving the tube ends into abutting relation; to provide improved means for disposing of the trimmings from the tubeeends; and to provide an apparatus of the character mentioned that automatically will perform a cycle of tube-splicing operations after manually being set into operation. Other objects will be manifest as the specification proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying the invention, in its preferred form;

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view, on a larger scale, of a pair of gripper jaws and a cutter, and the work confined in said jaws and being trimmed by said cutter;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view, on a larger scale, of two pairs of gripper jaws in abutting relation, and the work therein, as they appear during the butt-splicing operation;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View of a spliced tube in the region of the splice, a part of the latter being broken away and in section;

Figure 7 is a front elevation, on a larger scale, of the instrumentalities that operate upon the work, and the work clamped therein, preliminary to the severing of surplus material from the ends of the work;

Figure 8 is a view of the structure shown in Figure 7 in the trimming position;

Figure 9 is a view of the structure shown in Figures 7 and 8 in the work-splicing position;

Figure 10 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the course traversed by the cutter in the severing of surplus material from the work-piece; and

Fig. ll is an integrated piping and wiring diagram of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a hollow, pedestal support I t, and mounted upon the top thereof, at its front margin and somezontal plane as the latter.

what to left of center, is an upstanding bearing bracket H, Pivotally mounted at E2 in the top of bracket H is an angular arm :3, the free end portion of said arm being substantially perpendicular to the pivoted end portion thereof. At the pivoted end of arm I3 is a counterweight M arranged normally to hold the pivoted end portion of the arm substantially in vertical position, as shown in Figures 1, 2, '7, and 9, the free end of the arm then extending forwardly. A springbacked rest I5 on bracket H is provided for the said counterweight. The arm 13 is arranged to be swung angularly upon its pivot l2 in a vertical plane, and to this end a hand-grip structur I6 is mounted upon the free end thereof. Also mounted upon the free end of arm I3 is a cutter structure consisting of a pair of parallel knife blades ll, 17, and a presser plate l3 disposed between the said blades and projecting somewhat beyond the cutting edges thereof, the presser plate being yieldingly mounted so as to be retractible under pressure. Preferably an electrical heating element is mounted in the cutter structure for heating the blades ll whereby the trimming of the work is facilitated, and the trimmed faces of the work are left in tacky condition. The cutter blades are disposed parallel to the plane of movement of the arm I3, their longitudinal margins being disposed substantially at right angles to the free end-portion of the arm, the outer longitudinal margin of each blade being sharpened.

Mounted upon the top of pedestal It, beside bracket 1 l and to the left thereof as viewed from the front of the apparatus, is a bracket-like bearing structure 29 that has two forwardly-extending, vertically aligned arms 2!, 22 disposed in overhanging relation to front of the pedestal I0. Also mounted upon the pedestal, at the right thereof as viewed from the front of the apparatus, is a bracket-like bearing structure 23 that is disposed parallel to structure 20, and is formed with a forwardly-extending horizontal arm 24 disposed parallel to arm 22 and in the same hori- Extending from arm 22 to arm 24, adjacent the front-and rear thereof are two parallel, laterally grooved rails 25, 25 that are bolted to the respective arms. The rails 25 each constitute one ball-race for ball bearings 26, 26, the latter being confined between said rails and respective laterally grooved gibs 21 that are mounted upon the under side of a slide 28, the arrangement being such that the slide may move laterally back and forth between the arms 22, 24. The slide 28 has its upper surface in alignment with the upper face of arm 22, and is formed integrally with an overhanging arm 29 that is parallel and in horizontal alignment with arm 2|, said arm 28 being united with the slide at the rear thereof.

For reciprocating the slide 28 laterally, upon occasion, during the operation of the apparatus, a fluid pressure operated cylinder 3| is provided. Said cylinder is horizontally disposed, and at its rear end is pivotally connected to a horizontal bar 32 that is supported at its respective ends upon the bearing structures 28, 23. At the forward end of cylinder 3| the piston rod thereof is connected to a yoke 33, and the forward end of the latter is pivotally connected to two links 34, 34, Figure 3, which links are disposed in angular relation to each other, one of said links having its forward end pivotally connected to the arm 24, the other link having its forward end pivotally connected to the slide 28, on the under side thereof. The arrangement constitutes a toggle mechanism by means of which the slide may be urged toward the arm 22 with great force.

In the trimming and splicing of a tube by means of this apparatus, each tube end is engaged by gripper mechanism, each of said mechanisms comprising a lower die and an upper die, the latter being vertically reciprocable so that a tube-end may be confined between each pair of dies. The lower dies, each designated 35, are mounted upon the top of arm 22 and slide 28, in slightly overhanging relation to the adjacent lateral margins of said arm and slide. Upper die members, each designated 31, are positioned in vertical alignment with the respective lower dies. The dies are adapted to confine the respective ends of a work-piece of the nature of a length of unvulcanized rubber tubing 38, the latter being in collapsed form so that the walls thereof are together and thus constitute a two ply structure. The profile of the dies 35, 3'! is best shown in Figures 4 and 5 wherein it will be seen that upper die 3! is longitudinally recessed at 39 to permit of some displacement of the rubber structure 38 under pressure. Along that margin of each die from which the surplus stock of the tubeends protrudes, the work-engaging face of each die is slightly relieved or recessed at 40, the arrangement being such that pressure upon the work is relieved at this region and the projecting ends of the work are not distorted or flexed out of position as they otherwise would be. The dies are each beveled at the juncture of the recess 40 and the adjacent lateral face of the die, as shown at 4|, 4!

Each of the upper dies 31 is provided with individual supporting means, and means by which it is vertically reciprocated, and since said means are of identical construction, the same reference numerals will be used for both. Each die 31 is mounted upon the under side of a die-holder 01' head 43, being retained thereon by means of a locking pin 44. Each head 43 is mounted upon the lower ends of a pair of parallel, vertically disposed racks 45, 45 said racks being slidably mounted in the overhanging arms, one pair in arm 2| and the other pair in arm 29. Mounted atop of arms 2!, 29 are bearing brackets 65, 41, in each pair of which is journaled a horizontal shaft 58. and each of the latter carries a pair of pinions 43, 49 that mesh with respective racks 45. Mounted atop of each bearing bracket 46 is a vertically disposed, double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 58 having a downwardly extending piston rod 5!, the latter being formed with rack teeth that mesh with the adjacent pinion 49, on the opposite side of the latter from rack 45. Manually operable valves 52, 52 are mounted upon the respective brackets 45 for effecting the charging of the lower ends of cylinders 50 to lower the upper dies 37, the arrangement requiring the use of both hands of the operator, so that the hands cannot be in a place of danger as the dies descend. The upper ends of the cylinders 58 are charged and the lower ends thereof discharged automatically after a determinate time interval by means subsequently to be described, but a manually operable relief valve 53 is mounted upon one side of the apparatus for effecting the lifting of the die heads 43 at an earlier time if desired.

Mounted upon a stationary structure between arms 2!, 22 is a fluid pressure valve 54 that is operated by a suitable cam 55 mounted upon the outer lateral face of the left die-head 43, said valve controlling the flow of fluid to the front end of cylinder 3|. The cam 55 is so constructed and arranged that it operates valve 54 only upon rising movement of the die-head 43, the arrangement being such as automatically to effect lateral movement of the slide 28, to effect separation of the lower die members 36 after the upper die members 3'! rise at the end of a splicing operation. The rear end of cylinder 3| is arranged to be charged automatically, with discharge of the front end thereof, to move the slide 28 toward arm 22, and to this end a valve 56, Fig. 11, controlling the fiow of fluid to the rear end of cylinder 3| is mounted upon the bracket l I in position to be engaged by an operating cam 51 mounted upon the far side of counterweight I4 is viewed in Figure 1. The cam 51 is so constructed and arranged as to operate said valve only when the counterweight is moving downwardly, at which time the arm I3 is substantially in the elevated, inoperative position shown in Figure 1.

Severing of the surplus material at the ends of tube 38 is effected by the heated cutter blades H, which blades out against a cutter plate 59 that is positionable beneath the end portions of the tube that project from between each pair of dies 36, 31. The cutter plate 59 is pivotally mounted in its medial region upon the free end of a swingable arm 50 that is pivotally mounted at El between a pair of ears formed on the front margin of bracket H. A light leaf spring 62 is carried on arm 60 in engagement with one end portion of cutter plate 59 for maintaining the latter yieldingly in determinate angular position with relation to arm 60. Arm 5!! is moved angularly about its pivot 6| by means of a double-acting fluid pressure operated cylinder 63 that is pivotally mounted at 64 upon a bracket on pedestal It, below said arm 6|, the piston rod of said cylinder extending upwardly therefrom and being pivotally connected to the arm at 65. When the lower end of cylinder 63 is charged, the free end of arm 60 is in elevated position, the cutting plate 59 thereon being disposed between the lower dies 36 with its upper surface in contact with the surplus material of the tube-ends projecting from between the upper and lower dies, as is best shown in Figure 4. The arrangement is such that the presser plate l8 will hold the tube ends against the cutting plate 59 while the blades H sever the material by cutting against said cutter plate 59.

The arm Gil is arranged to be raised automatically to operative position, and to this end charging of the lower end of cylinder 63 and concurrent discharge of the upper. end thereof is effected through the agency of a valve 61 that is mounted upon bracket H, and operatedby a dog or cam 58 secured to the near side of counterweight M, as viewed in Figure l. The cam 63 is so constructed as to operate valve 61 only when said cam is moving upwardly, at which time the arm I3 is moving downwardly. For discharging the lower end of cylinder 63 and concurrently charging the upper end thereof to lower the cutting plate to the inoperative position shown in Figure 1, a manually operable valve 69 is provided, which valve is mount-ed upon the outer end of arm l3, between the hand grips l6 thereon.

Located at the rear end of cutter plate 59 is a nozzle ll from which jets of air under pressure are discharged lengthwise of the cutter plate to remove the work trimmings therefrom, after the cutter plate has been moved downwardly to its inoperative position. Trimmings blown from the cutter plate strike a guard plate 12 at the front of the apparatus and drop into a suitable receptacle 73 positioned therebeneath. Nozzle H is located at the delivery end of a pressure line It that extends to a diaphragm valve 115 located within the pedestal it, said valve being connected by a pipe 15 with a main air supply pipe ll. There is a Water separator 1.8 and an airline lubricator if) interposed in the pipe line H. Also connected to main supply pipe 71 is a pipe line 80 that provides the pressure for operating cylinder 53 through the agency of valves 61 and 69. Another pipe lin 8! connected to main supply pipe Tl provides the pressure for operating cylinder 3| under control of valve 54 and the valve 56 on the far side of counterweight I4, and for operating cylinders under control of valves 52, 53 and a timing device, as presently will be explained. The diaphragm valve 75 exhausts into an exhaust tank 82 located within the pedestal. Said diaphragm valve is automatically operated, to effect discharge of fluid from the nozzle 1 I by means of an electrically operated timing device 83 with which said valve is operatively connected by means of pipe 84. There is a fluid inlet to the timer 83 through a pipe 35 that has connection with the main supply pipe 71. A fluid delivery pipe 86 from the timer 83 supplies the fluid for controlling the operation of cylinder 58.

The operation of the timing device 83 is electrically controlled by means of a switch 88 located atop of structure 23, said switch having an operating lever that is engaged by a cam 8d on slide 28, to open the switch when said slide is in the inoperative position shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8. The switch is closed when the slide is in the splicing position shown in Figure 9. The timer has an operative cycle of about 32 seconds after switch 88 is closed.

An important feature of the invention is the position of the pivot 12 of the cutter arm 13 with relation to the position of the work to be trimmed. Because this pivot point is above and slightly to one side of the work, the cutter blades I! will be substantially in horizontal position and parallel to the work when they engage the latter, and will be traveling in an arc, as is best shown in broken lines in Figures 10. The arrangement is such that the blades I! move a horizontal distance of /8 inch in the last inch of their cutting stroke, with the result that the surplus ends of the work are severed with a slicing action. This manner of severing the work is considered superior to a chopping or guillotine effect, or to cutting by means of a rotary cutter, and the inoperative position.

severed tube-ends are in prime condition for the subsequent butt splicing operation.

In the operation of the apparatus, with the latter in the inoperative position shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 7, the operator mounts the length of unvulcanized rubber tubing 38 in the apparatus by laying the ends thereof over the respective lower die members 36, with the ends thereof projecting about half an inch beyond the adjacent lateral faces of the said die members, as best shown in Figures 4 and 7. The operator then, by the use of both hands, concurrently operates both valves 52 which effects the charging of the lower ends of cylinders and thus causes upper die members 3'! to descend and thus to confine the tube-ends between themselves and lower die members 3-3, as shown in Figure 7. During the lowering of the upper dies, cam on one of the die heads passes by valve 5t without operating the latter. As soon as the work is confined as described, the operator grasps hand grips I6 and pulls the arm l3 and cutting device thereon downwardly, thus lifting counterweight M. As the latter rises, cam 68 engages and operates valve t? with the resuit that pressure fluid is admitted to the lower end of cylinder 63, thereby to elevate the cutter plate 59 into operative position below the work-ends to be trimmed. The cutting device descends in an arcuate course upon the work, as shown in Figure 10, the presser plate i8 yieldingly pressing the material to be trimmed against the plate 59 while the heated blades sever the work with a slicing action, close to but slightly spaced from the adjacent lateral faces of the dies 36, 37, as shown in Figure 4.

As soon as the blades ll have cut through the work, the operator manually operates valve 69 which discharges the lower end of cylinder 63 and concurrently charges the upper end thereof, thus moving cutter plate 59, with the severed work-' ends thereon, downwardly to the inoperative position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 8. Immediately after operating valve 59, the operator raises the cutting device and arm is and restores them to As the counterweight M moves downwardly to inoperative position, the cam 57 thereon operates the valve 55 on the far side of bracket 5 i with the result that fluid pressure is admitted to cylinder M to charge the rear end thereof, and thus to project its piston rod 33 fcrwar y. Said piston rod, acting through toggle links moves the slide 28 laterally to the left wind, in Figures 2, 3, 7 and 8, thus bringthe res' t ve pairs of dies '35, 3? into laterally n, as shown in Figures 5 and 9.

lmmed tube-ends project slightly beyond the die faces, they are brought forcibly into abutting relation by the said movement of the slide the bevelled margins at of the dies Ii enabling a slight upsetting of the tube ends at their juncture and providing a slightly increased thickness at the splice, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. When the slide 28 moves laterally as described, the cam -29 thereon moves out of enga'gement with the operating lever of electrical switch thereby effecting the closing of the switch and the setting into operation of the timing device 83.

The immediate result of the operation of the timing device is to actuate diaphragm valve -l5 and thus to cause a blast of air under pressure to be directed lengthwise of the cutter plate 58 to remove therefrom any work-trimmings that may be adhered thereto, said trimmings dropping into the receptacle 73. Th timing devic is set to run for about 32 seconds before actuating any of the other instrumentalities of the apparatus. During this interval the various elements are in the splicing position shown in Figure 9, the tacky tube-ends having ample time to unite in a strong, adherent juncture.

At the expiration of the stated time interval, the timing device operates to effect the charging of the upper ends of both cylinders 5%] with concurrent discharge of the lower ends thereof, with the result that the upper dies 31 are lifted oil the work. As the die heads 43 rise, cam 55 on one of them operates valve 54, and thus causes fluid pressure to enter the front end of cylinder 3! with concurrent discharge of the rear end thereof. This causes piston rod 33 to move rearwardly and moves slide 28 back to its inoperative position. At the termination of the retractive movement of slide 28, cam 89 thereon opens switch S8 and causes timing device 83 to cease operation. This completes a cycle of operation of the apparatus, and the work 38, in endless form, may be removed therefrom. As shown in Figure 6, the finished tube 38 has an external ridge 9| at the region of the splice, but such ridge disappears when the tube subsequently is vulcanized by heat while in a mold and under internal pressure.

The automatic features of the apparatus conserve time and labor. The feature of holding the tube-ends in abutting relation for a determinate interval results in a superior splice and makes for uniformity of the product. The splicing interval need not be wasted, but may be utilized by the operator for attending another tube splicing apparatus. As previously stated, the arrangement whereby the cutters severs surplus material from the work with an oblique, slicing stroke is an important feature in the proper preparation of the tube-ends for subsequent splicing, and the simple construction whereby said slicing action is obtained makes for eiiiciency of operation and low cost of manufacture and maintenance.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In tube splicing apparatus, the combination of a pair of work-gripping structures relatively movable from and toward each other, a cutter movable between said work-gripping structures, when they are in spaced apart relation, for severing surplus work-material projecting from said structures, means for relatively moving said workgripping structures, a timing device, and control means for said timing device that puts the latter into operation when the work-gripping means are moved toward each other, said timing device being adapted to cause separation of the work-gripping means after a determinate timeinterval.

2. In tube splicing apparatus, the combination of a pair of work-gripping structures, means for moving the same relatively from and toward each other, a cutter manually movable to and from a position between said work-gripping structures, when they are spaced apart from each other, for severing surplus work-material projecting from said structures, a cutter plate movable to a position between the work-gripping structures for co-operation with the cutter to sever the woi'kmiaterial, and means operated by the cutter as it approaches the work for moving the cutter plate into operative position for cooperation with the cutter.

3. In tube splicing apparatus, the combination of a pair of work-gripping structures, a fluid pressure operated cylinder, a toggle operatively connected to the latter and to one of the workgripping structures at least, for moving said structures relatively from and toward each other, a cutter movable into and out of position between the work-gripping structures when the same are positioned apart from each other, means controlled by the cutter as it recedes from the position between the work-gripping structures for effecting operation of the fluid pressure cylinder to move said structures toward each other, a timing device controlling the reversal of the action of the fluid pressure cylinder to eifect the moving apart of the work-gripping structures, and means operated by movement of said work-gripping structures for setting the timing device into operation.

4. In tube splicing apparatus, the combination of a pair of opposed work-gripping structures, each comprising a stationary lower die and a vertically movable upper die, respective fluid pressure cylinders for vertically moving said upper dies, means for moving the work-gripping structures as a unit from and toward each other to eifect the butt splicing of tube-ends mounted therein, time-controlled means for operating the fluid pressure cylinders to raise the upper dies from the work, and means actuated by the upward movement of said dies for effecting separation of the work-gripping structures as a unit.

5. Tube splicing apparatus comprising the combination of a pair of opposed work-gripping structures movable from and toward each other, a cutter movable into and out of cutting position between said structures when they are spaced from each other, said cutter comprising a pair of parallel blades, and means for moving said blades in an arc to and from said cutting position, said blades being so positioned with relation to their arc of movement as to pass through the work with a slicing motion.

6. Tube splicing apparatus comprising the combination of a pair of opposed work-gripping structures movable from and toward each other, and a cutter for severing work in said structures when they are spaced apart from each other, said cutter comprising a pivotally mounted arm, and a pair of straight-edged cutting blades carried thereby in non-radial relation to its axis of movement.

'7. Tube splicing apparatus comprising the combination of a pair of opposed work-gripping structures adapted to confine the respective ends of a tube in flattened condition, means for moving said work-gripping structures relatively from and toward each other, and a cutter for severing work in said structures when they are spa ced apart from each other, said cutter comprising a pivotally mounted arm and a pair of parallel, straight-edged blades mounted at the free end of said arm in nonradial relation to the axis thereof, the pivot of said arm being so positioned with relation to the work that the blades will pass therethrough with a movement that has a component parallel to the plane of the work and a component that is normal thereto.

HORACE D. STEVENS. 

